Can-opener



(No Model.)

J. GILBERT.

"GAN OPENER.

No. 546,813. Patented Sept. 24, 1895- WIZWESSE'S UVVEWTOFR By a m I (0m BERAIIAM. PHUTG-LI'MDWASHINGTUN. BL

NITED STATES I ATENT FFICE.

JAMES GILBERT, OF SAUK CENTRE, MINNESOTA.

CAN-OPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 546,813, dated September 24, 1895.

Application filed February 4:, 1895- Serial No. 537,153. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES GILBERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sank Centre, State of Minnesota, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Can-Openers; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to can-openers, and has for its object an improvement in that class of can-openers in which the cutting or opening knife is turned around a central holding pin or point. In any opener of this kind it has heretofore been the practice to hold the knife and the central holding point fixed with respect to each other, so that the opening made in the can was always of a fixed size and the knife itself was so shaped and hung that its cut-tingedge was parallel or substantially parallel to the holding point, and the opening would be in the same side of the can that the knife was inserted, thus leaving a rim or flange overhanging the walls of the can under which rim or flange a portion of the contents of the can would catch and be retained. IVith my im proved opener the entire top of a round can or of a square can (if such square can is not too large) can be removed without leaving a flange or ledge to catch or detain any of the contents, and whatever bending of the edge of the tin occurs is outward rather than in ward.

In the drawings, Figure 1 indicates the application of the opener to the can. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation showin g the construction of the opener.

A indicates the handle, which is hollow and of any convenient shape.

B indicates a rod or bar arranged to move longitudinally with respect to the handle. One end of this bar protrudes from the handle and terminates in a point. Preferably this point should bend twice, at a and at b, and the extreme point 0 should be parallel with the axis of the rod B, or so nearly parallel that it can be easily'forced through the sheet metal of the can by pushing the point against the metal. This result could be accomplished without the turn at b, but not so handily as with the form shown. The portion between a and 1) forms the center pin about which the handle is rotated. On the end of the handle is secured a knife-blade O, and the cutting part of the knife-blade O, I prefer to make oblique to the axis of the rod 13, as an oblique blade not only cuts more easily but serves to press the edge of the metal outward, leaving the opening larger than the barrel of the can.

D indicates a spring attached to the handle A and to the bar B and arranged to strain the bar B and draw the point or turning-pin between a and b toward the knife 0. The inner end of the bar B should abut against some part of the handle. In the drawings it is shown as abutting against the cap F; but any equivalent means of stopping the travel of the bar B on its inward motion will sulfice, the object being to enable the user to press the point 0 through the metal.

In use the point 0 is thrust through the metal and the point forced in through the hole thus made until the holding part between a and b lies through the hole and the handle part A is parallel with the plane of the metal. In this position the point of the knife 0 can readily be dropped below the joint, which is formed at the top edges of the can between the side walls and the top, and the slight pressure on the handle will force the point of the knife 0 through the side walls of the can. The opener is now rotated with the holding-pin as a center and the entire top of the can easily cut off.

The movable bar B enables me to use the opener with cans of various sizes with equal facility, and the spring D aids in holding the parts together. In the cutting position the two features last mentioned enable me to use this opener with square or rectangular cans.

What I claim is 1. In a can opener, the combination of a central holding pin, a cutting knife, and yielding means for varying the distance between the pin and the knife, said knife having its cutting part set oblique to the axis of the handle whereby the severed edge of the can is spread yielding relation to the knife, substantially outward, substantially as described. as described. 10

2. In acan openerthe combination of a han- In testimony whereof I sign this specificadle, a sliding bar secured therein and terinition in the presence of two witnesses. 5 mating with a pointed holding pin, a knife JAMES GILBERT.

secured to the handle and having its cutting Witnesses: blade set oblique to the axis of the sliding F. CLOUGII,

rod, a spring adapted to hold the point in V. M. CLOUGH. 

